Associate Director for Residence Life

Job Summary 
The Associate Directors of Residential Experience are full-time, 12-month professional staff members, providing leadership and long-term planning for a residential area between 1,500 and 2,500 students, focused on either first-year students or returning residential students.  The Associate Directors supervise between 2-3 full-time, 12-month, professional staff members, and oversees supervision of graduate and undergraduate staff members supervised at the Area Coordinator level.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• Knowledge of housing and university policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of student development theories.
• Knowledge of crisis intervention procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize multiple and detailed tasks.
• Skill in strategic planning and data-driven decision making.
• Skill in leading diverse teams and supporting diverse student communities.
• Ability to manage budgets and perform budget analysis.
• Demonstrated understanding of student conduct policies and procedures, including experience handling student conduct matters from a developmental perspective.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate and facilitate conversations with a variety of persons, including students, faculty, staff, parents, and outside constituents.
• Friendly, welcoming, positive, and a team player.
• Ability to effectively complete the various components of the Assistant Director position, including the following physical requirements:
  • Visually access the community, surroundings, and situations that occur spontaneously and respond appropriately.
  • Verbally communicate with staff, residents, and supervisors in casual and crisis interactions.
  • Use and operate keys/access cards, elevators, phones, and computer systems.
  • Access and respond to situations where they occur (i.e. inside student rooms, bathrooms, hallways, stairwells, elevators, and building lobbies).
• Ability to learn and effectively assimilate new technologies, hardware, and software into daily functions, especially to promote effectiveness and increase efficiency.
• Ability to contribute to the ETSU mission and vision and live the ETSU values. 

Required Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in higher education administration, student development, social work, counseling, or a related field and four (4) or more years of relevant experience at the professional, full-time level. 
  OR 
• Five years of work experience with a social services program. 
  OR 
• A combination of education and work experience. 
• Successful completion of a background check required as a condition of employment.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in residence life, residential education, housing operations, or student development within a higher education setting.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise professional staff and support their growth through coaching and feedback.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. 

Physical Demands (as needed) 

• Sitting for extended periods (e.g., at a computer or workstation) 
• Climbing stairs or ladders 
• Reaching overhead or below waist level 
• Carrying files, equipment, or supplies short distances 
• Pushing or pulling carts, furniture, or equipment 
• Frequent typing or keyboard use 
• Visual acuity to read printed and electronic materials 
• Hearing to distinguish sounds (e.g., phone calls, alarms) 
• Speaking clearly in noisy environments 

Compensation & Benefits

• Job Family – Student Services Professional 3
• Salary: Market Range 8 (Salary Schedules)
• For information on benefits please visit www.etsu.edu/human-resources/benefits/.

Application Instructions

• Exempt positions are only required to be posted for a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days. The closing date for this posting is subject to change without notice to applicants.
• Employment contingent on a satisfactory background check. 

ETSU is an equal opportunity employer.

University Overview

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is an institution with over 14,000 diverse students highly ranked graduate and undergraduate programs. Located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee, ETSU serves as a hub for community, discovery, and service. Aligned with the institution's mission, we value efforts to engage in teaching, scholarship, creative activities, and service that involve community partners and address significant societal needs in our region and beyond. Recognized in 2024 as a Great College to Work For, recent strategic initiatives prioritize the institution’s focus on community engagement.

Disclaimer: The Job Summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work individuals perform in this classification. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to revise the job or require different tasks to be performed as assigned to reflect changes in the position. Employees must be able to perform the position's essential functions satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations.